Cursed Ones
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: Elyssa is one of a group of girls part of an even larger Hikari Curse. They are all out to break it and Satoshi and Daisuke are caught in the middle.
1. Elyssa

I ran down the hallway.

Takeshi's getting too close to my secret, I thought.

I kept running, my legs burning from the effort, then suddenly I tripped, and fell on the ground, scraping my wrists.

What did I trip over? I wondered, looking around. Then I saw a backpack on the floor. Now who's…

Suddenly my classmate, Daisuke Niwa, came running down the hallway. He smacked right into me, knocking me over again, and landed on me.

"Ow…" I said. "D-Daisuke, could you please get off of me?"

"Oh! M-Miss Valentine!" Daisuke exclaimed, jumping up. "I-I'm so sorry!"

"Call me Elyssa, okay?" I said, irritated.

I took several deep breaths, backing up against the wall, still crouched in a sitting position. Don't get angry, don't get angry…

"Hey, are you okay?" Daisuke knelt next to me, then noticed my bleeding wrists. "What happened? You're bleeding!"

"I tripped over your backpack," I said softly.

"Oh…I'm sorry, again…" Daisuke said. He pulled some bandaids out of his backpack. "Here, give me your hands."

"It's already stopped bleeding, and really it's no big deal…" I reluctantly held out my hands and he started to put bandaids on them, but then stopped.

"Your hands…they healed up already…" he said in shock.

I pulled my hands away from him. "Nevermind," I muttered.

I lost blood, I thought. That must be why my powers kicked in. I think I might pass out…

I got up, shaking slightly. I knew I had to leave before I passed out.

"Wait…Miss Elyssa!" Daisuke called to me.

I turned. "Yes…"

"What were you running from?" he asked.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Takeshi."

"Oh…I'm sorry," Daisuke said.

"What? It's not your fault!" I exclaimed. This boy was amazing. "It was my own for letting him get those pictures."

"Miss Elyssa…I won't let him do anything, I promise," Daisuke said.

I shivered slightly. "Y-You don't have to call me…'miss.'"

Suddenly I sucked in a breath and passed out…and Daisuke caught me.

Daisuke immediately transformed into Dark.

"The girl is beautiful," Dark said. "Why haven't I seen her before?"

Maybe because she's a new student, Dark, Daisuke thought back angrily. And leave her alone!

He was walking past the swimming pool, when suddenly Elyssa woke up.

"Who are you?" she exclaimed.

Suddenly Dark was hit with an enormous amount of pain to his chest. He dropped Elyssa, and fell to the ground, slightly twitching, like someone having a seizure.

He went unconscious and transformed into Daisuke.

"No!" I yelled. I started running to Daisuke's side, but slipped and fell into the pool.

Is he dead? I wondered. I can't have killed him, I wasn't angry enough!

I grabbed the side of the pool, struggling to pull myself out, but in my weakness, I slipped and knocked my head against it, then went under again.

I felt myself fall through the water. I was sure this time I wouldn't see the surface again.

I wasn't afraid. The only upside to my curse is that no matter what people do to me, I can't die. So although I was underwater, and too weak to move, and I was about to pass out from lack of oxygen, I just felt like laughing. It was just…too much.

My eyes closed, and I succumbed to darkness.

Satoshi Hiwatari had been sent by the teacher to find out what had happened to Daisuke and Elyssa. He walked past the pool, and then noticed Daisuke passed out, twitching slightly.

He went into the pool area. He quickly called for paramedics.

Niwa's still breathing, he thought. But what could have caused this? Could it be one of….them?

The water in the pool rippled. Satoshi looked in and saw a girl in the water.

It's just as I thought, he thought, diving in after her.

I coughed, water and blood streaming from my mouth and nose. My vision was blurry, but slowly returned to normal. I looked at the boy who had "saved" me.

I knew him. The part of me that was cursed told me who he was: a Hikari, the one who made me this way. For once in my life, I didn't hold back, I directed all of my anger at him, trying my best to kill him.

He just smiled slightly. "Is that the best you can do? You think you can hurt me?"

He's not damaged at all? I wondered.

"Why did you bother saving me?" I asked. "I would've gotten out of it."

"What did you do to Niwa?" the boy asked angrily.

"He wasn't Niwa when I did that," I said. "I did not know there were others like me. I thought I was the only one."

"Don't compare him to something like you," the boy spat the words at me in anger. "You kill, destroy without a thought. Niwa wouldn't hurt anyone, and you hurt him anyway."

The words hurt. "I…do have a saving grace."

I pulled myself up, willing my body to heal, and knelt next to Daisuke. I concentrated energy into my finger and tapped his forehead. He stopped twitching, and his entire form shook for a moment, then went still.

"He should be fine," I said softly. "I…don't kill on purpose. It's like I was made this way."


	2. Kai

What did you do with Ami Mitchell, you sick girl?" yelled the cop in Kai's face.

Kai didn't flinch. "I didn't kill her, if that's what you mean."

She looked towards the window. There were still witnesses. She had to bide her time…wait this out.

"Why is your DNA not showing up on our computers?" demanded the cop.

"Maybe you have faulty equipment," she said, half-way annoyed. This guy was giving her a headache. All these cops…it was like they followed a script!

"We have her body, down in the morgue, and you match it perfectly!" he kept yelling. "And yet your DNA is completely different."

Kai checked the window. No one.

"We aren't the same person," Kai said. "Ami Mitchell is dead. She died two years ago. I've been living her life."

And then she knocked out the cop swiftly with one hand. Nothing that would kill him, just give him a bad headache. She touched his forehead and assumed his identity, taking his keys and ID and walking straight out of the office and into the parking lot.

She drove down the road a while, then started listening for murders on the police scanner, as she couldn't remain a cop for long.

"Unidentified body of a minor, female, found. Subject has long black hair, slightly tanned, and black eyes."

Kai smirked. Perfect.

Kai walked into school the next day, her uniform tailored perfectly. She had chopped off her hair. She had moved into the small town of Azumano for now, until she was tracked again.

She walked down the hallway and bumped into a girl. They hit so hard that she shifted into the girl's form.

"What the-why am I looking at me?" she said. "Are you…you're cursed like me!"

Kai shifted back into Anya's form. Anya Himura was the name of the dead girl who's identity she'd stolen.

"I'm not like you," Kai said. "I'm just Anya Himura. Leave me alone."

Suddenly she was knocked to the ground like she'd been hit in the chest.

"What the-" Kai began.

"Now tell me your real name," she said. "I'm Elyssa Valentine. I hurt people with anger, and heal…occasionally."

"Fine," Kai said. "I'm Kai. Kai Akiyama. I'm a shapeshifter."

"Do you know about the Hikari art you're tied to?" the brunette asked, helping Kai off the floor.

"Of course I know," Kai said. "But it hasn't been awakened in years."

"I think the time is approaching when we will all be together again," Elyssa replied.

"Have you met the Seer?" Kai asked.

"Not yet," Elyssa responded.

"Well then I don't see why I was called before her," Kai said. "Maybe something is different this time."


	3. Yuki

Three Weeks Ago

Yuki Hamasaki opened her eyes.

How long did I sleep this time? She wondered. She gazed at the bottle of sleeping pills in her hands. Empty again.

She sucked in a breath. She didn't want to go back to the world. The world full of…noise.

There was a knock at the door.

"Don't come in," she whispered, her voice weak from unuse. She repeated herself, louder. "Don't come in!"

"I only want to help you, Yuki," it was the voice of a boy near her own age.

She couldn't move. The door opened.

Before she knew it, the odd boy with blue eyes that matched his hair was sitting next to her.

"W-What do you want?" she asked. Why does he feel so much guilt that he can't look at me? "Who are you?"

"Your eyes flashed blue just now," he said, avoiding her questions. "You can…read emotions, right?"

"How do you know?" Yuki asked. She still couldn't move; she hadn't had any nourishment in days. "Can you make it stop?"

The guilt coming from him increased as he looked away again. "No. But I can help you learn control."

Today

"What are you going to show me?" I asked Kai. "Kai, if this is a trick, I'll hit you or something."

"It's not a trick," Kai said irritably. "And stop calling me Kai! You'll blow my cover."

Kai led me down the hall on the third floor of the school. She pulled a key card from her pocket, just like the identical ones for rooms across the campus.

"Why does a storage room need a lock?" I asked.

"Because it is not a storage room," Kai replied, swinging open the door.

I stepped inside. It was…well it looked like a lobby, or a lounge, or something.

"Are you kidding?" I said. "This is what we came down here for?"

"No," Kai said, then closed the door. She flipped a switch on the wall, one that I had mistaken for a regular light switch. "This is what we came here for."

The TV switched on and the computers all turned on. They all showed a map of Azumano and the surrounding areas. Several blinking dots showed up on screens and there were readouts.

"W-What is…" I asked, cut off sharply by Kai.

"They show where any person with Hikari magic in them is," Kai said.

"How did you-" I began, only to be cut off by Kai again.

"My blood," Kai said, as if it was obvious. "The only parts of me that remains consistant are my eyes, my blood type, my DNA, and my general personality. At least I think...I mean others could rub off on me and I'd never know…never mind."

There was a knock on the door.

Kai hit the switch and the computers went off.

The door opened easily after a moment to reveal…Daisuke Niwa.

I cursed, immediately directing all of my anger inward, a technique I had learned over the years. If I knew I was going to get mad, I would just think of a reason I hated myself, focus on it, and the power would hit me instead. Since I healed quickly, it was okay.

But I still twitched, and it drained me so much I could pass out.

I quickly sat on the couch.

"What are you doing here?" Kai asked. "We reserved this room for private study."

"I'm sorry," Daisuke said. "I thought this was the storage room."

"Niwa," I said softly. "I'm sorry…about the other day."

"What…happened?" he asked.

"Nothing you can prove," Kai said. "Now get out, we don't have time for you."

"Hey!" I yelled suddenly. "Don't talk to him that way!"

Kai flinched. "Y-You're hurting me, Elyssa!"

I gasped at the same time Daisuke did.

"You're doing this?" he asked. "You're the one who made me hurt that day?"

I looked away from him. "Yes. If I could erase your memory of it, I would; but only the angels have that power."

"Hey!" Kai said. "Girl in pain here!"

"Shut up, you have no internal damage," I said, barely looking at her.

"Yeah? Well what's this?" Kai asked, showing me a cut on her arm.

I shrugged. "Not all of us can be as fast healers as me."

I turned to Daisuke. "Maybe you should go, before she thinks of a way to annoy you too. I'm sorry I hurt you. Please believe I would never hurt you on purpose."

He looked at me, not leaving. "Is it just…whenever you're mad? That's not really fair…"

"I can heal," I said, smiling. "But on two conditions…I cannot heal death, and healing…takes a lot out of me."

"That's right…you almost drowned. Are you okay?"

I almost killed him, I thought. And he asks if I'm okay?

"I-I…Hiwatari saved me," I said. "Not like I can die…what about you? I thought someone else had me for a moment…that's why I got mad…"

"Um…" He began.

"Are you two done?" Kai said. "Because if you are, I'm going to go find Yuki Hamasaki."

"Who is she?" I asked.

"I've been watching her ever since I got here. Hiwatari has her."

Yuki walked down the hallway. "Niwa? You down here? The teacher's looking for you!"

She knew she felt something from this area. She walked to the door that was pulsing with different emotions. Locked. She knocked on it.

"Who is it?" Said a sharp voice.

"Yuki Hamasaki," She replied. "I'm looking for Daisuke Niwa. The teacher sent me. He went to the storage rooms hours ago and never came back…"

"He encountered our girl's club, and won't leave," said the same voice.

The door swung open.

Yuki gasped. Anger from the one…mixed from the other….could they be?

"I'm going back to class now," Daisuke said, turning and going out the door.

Mostly sympathy….and sadness. That kid always wants to help everyone. Satoshi told me about him.

"You know who we are," the mixed emotion girl said. "My original name-"

"Kai…Kai Akiyama!" gasped Yuki. "I thought I was all alone! And you…you're Elyssa Valentine!"

She hugged them both. Elyssa returned the gesture, and Kai halfway did as well. They were the only family each other had.

"Now all we need is the Seer," Kai said. "Oh and in this form, I'm Anya Himura."

"Got it," said Yuki. "But don't you guys feel it…like this is…maybe it's because I'm the youngest…but I really think that…it's almost over."

Elyssa eyed Yuki. "We say that every time. Only the Seer knows for sure."


	4. Lyddia

The clock in the center of Azumano chimed ten PM. Liddya Stevens, a girl of fourteen with long black hair, and china-doll childlike features, stood under the clock tower. At far off glance, she looked to be a child of ten or twelve. But a closer glance into her coal black eyes showed wisdom beyond human comprehension.

She knew what was going to happen next.

"Dark," she said softly. "I know you can't resist the Seer's call."

About five seconds later he appeared behind her.

She turned swiftly. "This is interesting. You managed to alter the future."

Her eyes turned the Hikari color of ice-blue as she looked into the future.

"Liddya? What do you see?" Dark's voice was gentle. He did not envy her gift.

"Dark…" Liddya's voice had lost it's confidence. "There are too many of us this time…but I believe we are reaching the conclusion."

Her eyes went back to coal black. "But you must remember…as far as the others know, you and I are enemies. I can't betray them like before."

She spun in a circle, her lacy Lolita dress rustling with the wind.

Dark caught her. "I'm glad you're back. And that you remember."

He kissed her, and ten miles away Elyssa Valentine woke up screaming.

"What scared you?" Kai asked, coming in and sitting on the bed.

Yuki was already there, looking scared out of her mind.

I shifted. "All I know is that…The Seer had a vision…a terrible one."

I shut my eyes, and saw it replay. "One of the angels is going to die…I don't think she saw the vision…I think I saw it because it was too painful for her to process…but the Seer is always so…resilient. Why is this person so important to her?"

Yuki looked at me, giving me one of her "are you really that stupid" looks. "It's love. The Seer's in love."

I squinted and shut my eyes. "No. Impossible. We are not human. We do not love."

"Don't be stupid, Elyssa," Kai said.

"Can we get back to the Seer?" I said irritably. "We have to find her. If I can channel her powers…maybe we can find out what this means. Like…do we have to face the angels again?"

"We sealed them once, we can do it again," Kai said.

"But angels can't die," Yuki said. "If the Seer's vision was of an angel's death…the angel had to have been turned human."

My eyes widened. "Then there's hope for us. If one of them is going back, then maybe the rest of us can do the same."

"You think you can get away with wearing that instead of the required uniform?" yelled the teacher.

"Yeah," Kai replied. "I don't like your uniform. Skirts bug me."

"Anya Himura, you go home right now and dress in the proper uniform!" yelled the teacher.

"Just for that…" Kai said, grabbing a pair of scissors. "I'll cut off my hair, too."

She went to the bathroom and easily shifted into a uniform, and sliced off her hair jaggedly up to her neck. She threw the hair in a trash can.

Kai came out and grinned at the teacher. "Want your scissors back?"

"Ah…up to your old tricks, Anya?" a girl said, coming in the door. She wore the uniform, but had white silk gloves trimmed with lace on, and had added black lace to the pink parts of the uniform and white to the white parts.

"Lolita," groaned a student. "Another gothic girl."

"I…am not gothic," the girl said. "I merely know how to accessorize. And…I'm sorry about your cat."

"Lyddia?" Kai said. "Is that you?"

"In the flesh," Lyddia said, smirking slightly. "And so it begins…again."


	5. Mirror of Truth

So this is what you've got?" Lyddia said. "Machines? Really?"

Kai stood up, yelling, "Are you serious? I spent all this time setting this up, and—"

"Calm down!" I yelled.

"You're one to talk!" yelled Kai.

"Both of you cool it," Lyddia said. "We have one night to get the Mirror of Truth. And we have to get it before Phantom Dark does."

"I've been thinking about it," I said. "We have never been a match for the angels in the past; the Hikaris created them to surpass us. But we are connected to them somehow, so why don't we just explain the problem to Phantom Dark, and see if he will help."

"And if he doesn't?" Yuki said.

"Yeah, what if he betrays us?" Kai said.

"Then we'll unleash our abilities on him," I replied.

"I'm sure he'll agree," Lyddia said. "He has nothing to lose."

"Well it's here on the screen," Kai said. "Eight o'clock. Let's get back to class."

"I'm going to stay here," I said.

Daisuke passed Lyddia, Yuki, and Kai on their way back to class.

"Where is Miss Elyssa?" he asked them.

"She stayed in the club room," Yuki said.

"Why?" Daisuke asked. "Is something wrong?"

"With Elyssa?" Kai asked. "Why does that matter to you, Niwa?"

"Miss Elyssa is my friend," Daisuke said.

"Really?" Lyddia said. "Is Elyssa anyone's friend? Her anger kills, Niwa. Remember that."

The three of them turned to walk away.

"You're wrong," Daisuke said softly, then went up to the clubroom.

He easily got past the lock and opened the door.

"What do you want, Niwa?" asked Elyssa.

Why is she so angry? Daisuke wondered. If she's angry, why am I not hurt? Who is she mad at then?

He looked at her eyes. They were Hikari blue. "Who are you angry at? Can you hurt yourself?"

"I'm the only one who can," she said, her voice shaking.

"S-Stop!" Daisuke grabbed her by the shoulders. "Don't hurt yourself!"

"I can heal, Niwa," she said carelessly.

Something in Daisuke snapped. "When did you start calling me 'Niwa?''

"When…" Elyssa sighed. "When I lost the right to call you 'Daisuke.'"

"Elyssa…what happened was an accident," Daisuke said. "We can still be friends, right?"

Elyssa turned, and he saw that she was crying. "No! Why don't you get it? I hurt you! I could still kill you or hurt you!"

"What are you so scared of?" Daisuke asked. "You say you're protecting me…but aren't you really just protecting yourself?"

Elyssa flinched. "Why do you care?"

"Because…no one should have to live like that," Daisuke said.

"I…" Elyssa looked down. "Look it's just…I've lived a long time…and the last time I tried friendship…my friend died. And no matter how hard I tried…I couldn't follow him in death. I'm stuck. This is the proverbial purgatory I am doomed to. Where there is no love, only hatred, and death."

Daisuke looked at her. How could he help her see that she was wrong?

I know love exists because if it weren't for love…I wouldn't be stuck with Dark all the time, he thought.

Maybe you should listen to me and STAY AWAY from her! Yelled Dark.

On an impulse, Daisuke hugged Elyssa. "Elyssa…it isn't true. Just because you have a curse…doesn't mean that's all you are. You…aren't a murderer. You didn't mean to hurt anyone."

Elyssa pulled back and stared at him. "Daisuke…thank you."

Daisuke blushed, shocked at what he had done. "I-I'm going back to class now."

I stepped from the shadows of the museum, Yuki behind me, Kai next to me, and Lyddia in front.

"Why am I holding this mirror again?" I asked.

"Because it's your curse," responded Lyddia.

"You girls are way out of your league," said Phantom Dark, stepping into the room.

"It's the angel who grabbed me earlier! I knew you were familiar!" I yelled.

Suddenly he flinched and fell to his knees.

Dark knew he was in trouble. The pain was escalating in his chest. He didn't care about pain, but this wasn't his body; it was Daisuke's. And Daisuke could feel the pain.

Just let me explain, Dark! Daisuke yelled.

That won't help. They want something or they wouldn't be testing me like this, Dark replied.

"What do you want?" He said.

The girl closed her eyes, and the pain subsided. "Your help."

"Each of us is cursed by a Hikari artwork that you are scheduled to steal," I continued. "Somehow…each one will tell us how to break said curse. If the curses are broken…we will be humans again."

"And you've come to me for help," Phantom Dark said. "What's in it for me?"

Lyddia stepped forward. "The joy of having helped four ladies with a predicament. And…there was something else. A vision I had."

"What was it, then?" Dark asked.

Her eyes turned ice-blue, and the Phantom Thief actually looked concerned.

"If the angels and their tamers cooperate…they will find freedom. Only words this time. That's all I see. No idea what a tamer is, or why 'angels' is plural."

"So everyone's playing the game this time," Dark said.

I looked at him. "Dark…about me attacking you. I—"

"You did what you thought you had to do," Dark said.

"I'm sorry!" I said finally. "I didn't want to, but it was 'necessary for the mission' so I—"

"We're going to make you better," Dark said. "Let me see the mirror."

I handed it to him, but he instantly dropped it and I caught it.

"What gives?" I asked.

"It rejected me," he said. "I think it can only be deciphered by its host."

"Did you think I wouldn't come?" a voice suddenly came from the doorway. "Dark."

"H-Hikari…" I said softly, fear in my voice.

"Satoshi?" Yuki said suddenly. "Don't…please. It's the only way I can be human again."

Satoshi flinched like she had slapped him in the face. "Yuki…it won't work. It's been centuries, and it's never worked."

He suddenly flinched again and gripped the wall for support.

"It can save me," she said. "And…you too! Lyddia said we're all connected."

"Wait a second," Kai said. "How are we connected to a Hikari? Other than the obvious."

She was answered by Satoshi's scream of pain as he transformed into a white-winged angel in front of us.

"Krad," we all four said at once.

"It's the Cursed Ones," he said. "Still playing your game."

"The game that you forced us into!" I yelled.

He struck me across the face, forcing me to the ground. No one noticed. No one cared.

But then—I must have been hit too hard, because Daisuke was next to me.

"We've got to get you out of here," he said. "Krad's being diverted by Lyddia. Can you walk?"

"Daisuke, how—"

"We don't have time for that! Come on!" Daisuke pulled me up and somehow got me past Krad and the other three into the hallway. "Do you have the mirror?"

I nodded.

"Run," he said. "I'll find you when it's over."

"But—"

"Trust me! Go!" he said.

I ran out of the museum.

You overpowered me, Daisuke, Dark said.

She needed me, Daisuke said. He would've killed her.

Even he's not that stupid, Dark said. He would find out what they were up to first. But he would have hurt her, you're right. But she'd just heal, what's the big deal?

Dark, shut up, Daisuke said.

Dark took over anyway, and went into the room.

"I don't like your prophecy, little girl," Krad was saying to Lyddia. "I don't want to cooperate with you."

He moved to hit Lyddia, and Dark went out to stop him, but Kai blocked his way.

"So we meet again," Kai said. "Krad."

"I've never seen you before in my life," Krad said. "Get out of my way."

"Is it easier to recognize—this?" she transformed into another girl, but with long wavy chocolate brown hair and blue eyes (of course).

"Kai?" Krad stopped his attack. "But…what happened to your original form?"

"We've been cursed," she said. "I don't remember anything from my first life but my name, eye color, blood type…and you. I remember you."

She swung back and slapped him.

"That's for abandoning me!" She hissed. "You had the magical abilities to find me—"

"I was sealed!" Krad yelled back. "The Niwas keep trying to seal me!"

"They can make that end," Kai said. "But we have to…give up our powers."

Krad glared at her. "Fine. I'll play the game this time. But we better not lose."

I picked up the mirror.

"I've never owned a mirror before," I said softly to myself.

I looked into it. Words started appearing before my face.

"Allow Yourself to Be Loved and Learn to Love Who You Are," I read the words. "What kind of crap is that? I hate mirrors."

There was a bang suddenly. I turned.

"The…window's open?" I questioned. I looked outside, and came face to face with Daisuke. "How did you get way up here?"

"I climbed," he said.

"But Daisuke, it's pouring rain," I said. "How did you not slip?"

Then I noticed he was shivering. I grabbed him around the waist and pulled him in. He kind of landed on top of me.

I blushed, and disentangled myself, then stood and closed the window.

I quickly grabbed the blanket off my bed and wrapped him up.

"Oh, come on, stop shivering…" I worried. "You're staying here till the rain quits."

"Elyssa," Daisuke said. "Krad agreed…to help. And…I have to tell you something about Dark."

"The angel?" I asked. "I think I made him angry. Or at least that he doesn't like me. But then…no one does, really."

"I do!" Daisuke said.

"What?" I asked, looking at him. "Oh yeah…you have the insane belief that you and I can be friends and you won't end up dead. What were you going to say about Dark?"

"He doesn't hate you," Daisuke said.

"Well it's good to know that," I said. "An angel is a bad enemy to have."

I stood up and turned up the heat because Daisuke was still shivering.

Suddenly the door slammed.

"The others!" I exclaimed. I quickly locked the door and turned out the light. "As long as they don't hear anything, they'll think I'm asleep and leave us alone."

I walked over to the bed and pulled the remainder of the covers over me and shut my eyes.

"Elyssa…your blanket," Daisuke said. "You must be cold, still in your wet clothes too…"

"Daisuke," I said gently. "You'll get a cold if you don't warm up soon. And if you died of pneumonia I'd bring you back just to kill you. I can't get sick…or die. It's true that I can feel discomfort or pain, and comfort and pleasure, but…I have a high tolerance."

"I won't be able to sleep knowing you're shivering over there!" Daisuke said.

"Fine," I muttered. I got up and walked over to him. "Get up."

He stood, and I pointed to the bed.

"You get the bed, if I get the blanket," I said, and wrapped up. "Now…go to sleep…please."


	6. Mirror of Reality

Krad, what if we're found?" Kai said, standing at her window.

"You think I care what the others think?" Krad replied, floating in the air outside.

"Krad…this time, we must succeed," Kai said. "We have to embrace the others to do this. You and I…maybe it would be better if we…tried to do this separately."

"No," Krad said. He stepped into the room, and enveloped Kai into his arms. "Kai…you are the only ally I have. I…love you. Don't take this away from me."

Kai closed her eyes for a moment, allowing her tense muscles to relax against him. "Krad…I…am not like you anymore. I've begun to care about my sisters…and I don't want to see them getting hurt by you."

"Then…" Krad released her. "For your sake, I will no longer harm them. But you cannot ask me to show mercy to Dark."

Kai nodded, then reached up and kissed him. "Thank you."

"Daisuke?" I got up off the floor. I stepped over to the bed. He was still asleep.

I stared at him. He's so relaxed. Am I this way when I sleep?

I reached out a hand and touched his cheek. "Why does it hurt so much…?"

His eyes opened unexpectedly. I jerked my hand back like I had been stung.

I turned away. "Ch-Checking for a fever. That's all. Nothing more."

"Elyssa?" Daisuke said. "What is it…that hurts?"

I turned to him. "I guess…you deserve an answer. It's like this. When I see you…I remember all the times I've hurt others…but then I look in your eyes…and I'm forgiven. I've…never been forgiven. Hated, scorned, chased. But never…forgiven."

Daisuke smiled. "And that hurts?"

"Well…part of me wants to reject it and call you a liar," I said. "But the other part…"

I shook my head, still confused.

"KAI!" Yuki yelled, running to Kai's room and banging on the door. "Emergency!"

"What?" Kai showed up at the door in a yellow silk bathrobe. "Honestly, do you know what time it is? This better not be something stupid."

"Elyssa-her emotional levels are skyrocketing! I don't think I've ever seen this many emotions in one person before!"

"Yuki…" Lyddia came down the hall, bringing a terrible aura with her. Her gothic had taken over her Lolita. She wore a black silk nightgown and her long black hair that went to her waist made her easily look like she had stepped out of a Japanese horror film. "Elyssa must be…undergoing stress because of the prophecy."

Yuki stubbornly walked right past their leader and to Elyssa's room. She banged on the door. "Elyssa! Please open up! I'm worried about you!"

"But…they don't ever care about me," I said.

"Of course they do," Daisuke said.

"Daisuke! Crap, can you go out the way you came?" I asked.

"No problem," he replied, opening the window and climbing down.

I closed the window, and opened the door. "Yuki!"

I hugged her.

She wriggled free, and walked around me. "Too much emotion in you…confusion mostly. Fear. Love?"

I blushed. "It's nothing…just that prophecy. Mine was just so…personal."

"Are you in love or not?" Yuki said. "Why wouldn't you tell me?"

Was she hurt? I wondered.

"I…didn't think anyone cared," I said.

"We have to work together," Kai said.

"They're right," Lyddia said. "We won't get angry that you like the Niwa boy."

I blushed again. "Lyddia! Can you not?"

"I had a vision, and I said it," Lyddia said.

"Wait, what was the vision of?" I asked.

Her eyes turned ice blue. "The Niwa boy was standing on the window sill. He said he was Dark. Then he changed, like the Hikari before. And then he turned to go, and you shouted after him that you didn't care…that you loved him anyway."

"The next object is…The Mirror of Reality," Lyddia said.

"It's supposed to show what's real, and what is false," Kai said. "We would be shown as humans for example."

"Where's Elyssa?" Yuki asked.

"She locked herself in her room," Kai said. "Best to leave her alone."

"She doesn't believe you," Yuki said to Lyddia. "She doesn't believe Niwa would lie to her."

"Well, I can't lie, not about my predictions anyway," Lyddia said.

"Let's go then," Kai said.

"I'm going," I opened my door. "But Daisuke's not Dark. Even in that weird possession idea, it just doesn't compute. He wouldn't lie to me. I just know it."

I walked out the door and to the museum with my sisters.

Kai entered the room. Krad and Dark were fighting already.

Feathers flew everywhere. Kai dodged, then grabbed Elyssa, knocking her over. "We almost got hit."

"Yeah…" she said, examining a cut on her arm.

Kai realized that Elyssa was wearing a jacket-in August. She grabbed the sleeve and yanked it up. "Scars. Really, Elyssa? Why? We talked about this."

"I have scars, Kai," Elyssa said, staring in shock. "They healed…but then stopped. And I'm totally pissed at you for finding out…but look…nothing bad is happening."

"But…you'll have those scars forever!" Kai said.

"But my powers are gone! My curse is gone!"

"So you curse yourself?" Kai asked. "So you think Niwa will accept this?"

"And I'm supposed to care?"

Kai turned away, grabbing her mirror.

That night, Kai laid on her back, and stared into the mirror.

"Discover who you truly are by discovering how others see you."

How stupid, she thought.

There was a knock at the door.

"Kai, come on, I hate fighting with you," came Elyssa's voice. "Let me in."

Kai opened the door. "I'm getting rid of those scars."

Kai grabbed Elyssa's arm, and suddenly got a super-jolt that knocked them both over.

Kai looked down, disoriented. Wrong body.

"I'm you," she said, or rather tried to say, but it came out- "I'm me."

Elyssa walked over, picked up the mirror, and read it, then smirked.

"Get out of my room," she said, doing a perfect imitation of Kai. "I'm going to sleep and I don't need you here."

Kai glared at her. Wait. What about these scars?

She grabbed some scar cream, and rubbed it on her new arms. "Okay, good night…um…Kai."

Weird, this was too weird.

Do I really talk out in class that much? Kai wondered. And am I really that cold to other people, even my friends?

She was sitting in her desk in class.

"Elyssa? Are you okay?" Daisuke was staring at her. "You seem different."

Is it so obvious? Kai wondered.

"Niwa, I'm fine," Kai said.

"Did I do something wrong?" Daisuke asked.

"What? No?" Kai replied.

"Then why did you…call me Niwa?" he asked.

"Oh…sorry," Kai said. "I just, I'm not myself."

"Why are you wearing a jacket?"

Scars, thought Kai. That's why.

"Can I explain later?" Kai asked.

The bell rang, and Kai breathed again.

Suddenly, on her way to her next class…Kai dropped to the floor.

"I am so not like that!" Kai yelled at me.

"Calm down," I said. "It was the best I could do, given the time frame. Stupid mirror, making me an actress."

"Niwa's suspicious about the jacket," Kai said.

"I'll have to explain," I said. "Wait…who are you today?"

Kai looked in a mirror. "I'm…my original form."

She had the same eyes, but her hair was short and dirty blonde, like dishwater, almost. Her skin was a shade lighter than before, and she looked like she would burn in the sun.

"Wow…" I said.

"You did what?" Daisuke said.

"I couldn't figure it out," I replied. "I couldn't stop bleeding. That's never happened before."

"You could've died!" Daisuke stood. "Look at you! You…"

"I'm sorry," I said. "But I don't understand pain and scarring. It's just never been part of me. Please, Daisuke…"

He took my arms and traced the scars with his hands.

Then he looked up at me. "Never again. Promise me."

"I promise," I said softly.

"I'll…find a way to erase them," Daisuke said.

"What's the update?" Dark asked Lyddia, landing on her terrace.

"I am not sure," Lyddia said. "Kai has completed her part of the prophecy. She got her body back. And Elyssa…continues to remain obstinate. Her cutting…escalated. Your tamer seems to hold her heart, although he does not know it. Do you know of his feelings for her?"

"Daisuke…maybe I'll let him tell you," Dark easily changed into his other half.

"What? I thought I was asleep!" Daisuke said.

"Shh…" Lyddia said. "Don't wake the others. I need to know, do you love Elyssa?"

Daisuke blushed. "I…she and I…"

"Answer the question," Lyddia responded. "I've seen the future for you two, and it hangs in the balance depending on your answer."

"Yes," Daisuke said finally. "I do."

"Then I say, let the future take hold!" Lyddia said enthusiastically.


	7. Mirror of Sorrow

Lyddia," Yuki knocked on her sister's door. "Lyddia!"

"What is it?" Lyddia opened the door, half-asleep. "Another nightmare?"

"No…that is…" Yuki said softly, then burst out with it. "Where are they?"

"Where's what?" Kai asked.

"My…medicine," Yuki said. "I need it, now!"

"No," Elyssa said, coming around the corner. "You have an addiction. No more pills for you."

"That's easy for you to say!" yelled Yuki. "You don't even know anything! Your own feelings confuse you! And you two! Well, I don't know what you'll do when we seal Dark and Krad away again! I'll be picking up the pieces. And I'm sick of it!"

Yuki turned and ran to her room in tears.

"Yuki…" Kai's hand's balled into fists and she herself was fighting back tears. She knew Yuki was right.

Elyssa held Kai and Lyddia back from going after Yuki. "I know someone who can help."

"Why are we back in this place?" he asked, looking at the shivering girl in the corner. "Didn't I teach you better than this?"

"Is that all I am to you?" she yelled back in contempt. "Why can't I feel you anymore? Are you hiding your emotions from me, Satoshi?"

She reached into her sock drawer and grabbed a pill bottle. Satoshi realized what she was doing and grabbed her arm, but still, half the bottle went into her mouth.

"No! Stop it!" he yelled. He reached around her and performed the Hiemlich on her, causing her to gag and spit the pills out.

"Stop…hiding from me!" Yuki yelled, tears spilling from her eyes. "Why does everyone think they have to protect me? I-I'm not a child! Is that…what I am to you?"

Satoshi just stared at her. After a moment, he responded. "It's best…that that's what you should be to me."

He stood, and left the room.

"The Mirror of Sorrow," Lyddia said. "It does exactly what Yuki's powers do."

"Yuki…honey…" I said softly, the word unused in my mouth. "I'm so sorry about Hiwatari. But he…just wants to protect you. We all do. Maybe you shouldn't go this time."

"No," Yuki said. "I am going. I'm going to break this curse and save Satoshi. Then I'm going to kill him."

I swiftly backhanded her. "No. You aren't. You are emotionally compromised. I don't want you going. And don't you dare ever talk about death that way again."

Yuki rubbed her cheek. "Who are you to slap me? We aren't even real sisters."

Lyddia and I both flinched slightly.

Lyddia glared at me.

"But I'm as close as you've got," I replied, regaining my composure swiftly. "So listen to me."

"Elyssa," Lyddia laid a hand on my shoulder. "Perhaps you are the one who is emotionally compromised. We have been sheltering Yuki too long. It's time she faced the battle on her own. Only she can touch the object. Anyone else would be cursed with her abilities."

Yuki smiled slightly. "I win."

Yuki walked confidently into the room. She could tell who was where based on emotions.

She picked up the mirror.

Satoshi came in the room.

Yuki stared at him. "Hiwatari. Catch!"

She threw the mirror at him. He caught it easily. "Was that really—"

He gasped and nearly dropped it, but Yuki grabbed the mirror. "How does it feel, Satoshi? Now you have my powers."

He stared at her with wide eyes. "You…feel that way about me, Yuki?"

A blush crept up on her cheeks, but before she could answer, Satoshi cried out in pain. White wings emerged from his back, and he changed into Krad.

Krad grabbed Yuki by the throat, pinning her to the wall.

"Take this curse away from me!" he yelled.

Kai put a hand on Krad's shoulder. "Krad. She doesn't know how. Take a look at the mirror. They have messages."

Krad unceremoniously dropped Yuki, and went for the mirror.

"Admit what you have been too afraid to confess," he read. "Must be for Master Satoshi."

He shifted back into Satoshi's form in what seemed to be a painful way.

Satoshi took one look at Yuki and turned, a slight limp in his walk, and tried to leave.

"No!" Yuki yelled. "Stop running! All you ever do is run!"

"I let Krad hurt you," he said, his voice breaking, betraying his own emotion.

Yuki picked up the mirror, then doubled back, feeling the force of Satoshi's emotions. "So much…self-loathing…and sadness…but there's something bright there…" Yuki tilted her head, and stepped towards him. "Tell me Satoshi…what did the mirror want you to admit?"

Satoshi sighed, shaking his head. "I…love you."

"Wait, what?" I said, stepping from the shadows. "You knew, didn't you? You knew who I was when you pulled me from the swimming pool. You knew she was my sister."

Satoshi nodded. "I won't deny that. You have the same face. And I remember from Hikari history that two of the Cursed Ones were sisters."

"Well…fine, I won't stand in your way," I said softly. "But if you hurt her again, I'll—"

Satoshi glared at me. "And what gives you the right to say this, murdress?"

"Hiwatari!" Daisuke came out of the shadows next to me. "Why did you call her that?"

"Do you not understand, Niwa, that she would have killed you had I not been there that first day?" Satoshi answered coldly.

"She wouldn't have!" Daisuke answered adamantly. "I know Miss Elyssa. She doesn't do it on purpose."

"I told you, Daisuke…I have before," I said softly. "I tried to kill Hiwatari."

"You did what?" Yuki turned. "You're my sister!"

"I didn't know about you," I said. "I thought you died…I had no idea, and I never thought you and Hiwatari—"

I shook my head. I turned, and walked out of the museum.

I heard footsteps behind me. "Daisuke…what is it?"

"It's…I…" he looked down.

I stopped walking. "What's wrong?"

"Please…let me finish," he said. "I…know you've changed. And I…love you."

I stepped back, nearly tripping. "No, I really don't think you do. I think you…I think you just…I don't know…I…there are too many lies between us."

Daisuke stared at me. "What?"

"You know what I'm talking about. I think…when you really do love someone…you tell them the truth," I said. "I…I've murdered a hundred and two people in my life. Thirty-seven deaths were intentional. Are you sure you know what you're getting into?"

I just can't prove it to her, Daisuke thought.

Dark had control right now, and they were flying home.

Wait! Daisuke thought. Dark! Stop at Elyssa's house.

No way, he replied. I'm tired.

Dark! I'll tell everyone about you and Lyddia! Daisuke yelled.

Dark landed.

"Goodnight," I said to my reflection in the little mirror.

"Elyssa," a voice came from my window.

I jumped. "Dark! What are you doing? Get away from there!"

"I'm…not Dark," said the voice.

Slowly the wings disappeared and the person walked over to my bed. "But at the same time…I am Dark. It's complicated."

"Daisuke?" Shock registered on my features.

"I…have to go," Daisuke said sadly. "I can see you won't understand…or care."

He changed back into Dark and took off into the night.

I jumped out of the bed, but my foot got tangled in some sheets and I tripped and fell-out the window. I screamed. "Daisuke! I love you anyway! Please don't let me die!"

I was instantly plucked out of the sky. "Daisuke isn't available at the moment, but I am. He did get your message though. Bit melodramatic, jumping out of a window to get our attention."

I glared at him. "You aren't funny."


End file.
